Electric water heater



Nov. "2, 1937. E. STUCK 2,097,705

ELECTRIC WATER HEATER Filed June 2, 1956 19 WNW? my 15 gmv gm ATTORNEYS together.

Patented Nov. 2, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims. 7

This invention relates to electric water heaters of the portable type or of the type which are placed in a vessel to quickly heat the water therein.

It has for its object an electric heater of this type which is particularly simple and compact in construction, and consists of a minimum number of parts which are readily assembled.

More specifically, it has for its object a water heater of this type comprising a body which consists of opposing duplicate insulating plates which lie flatwise one on the other and which are formed with a tortuous passage in their opposing faces in which the heating element is located, the plates being preferably discoidal and secured together at their centers by a single clamping means.

It further has for its object a. water heater consisting of two plates clamped together at their centers and enclosing a heating element between them, with binding devices at the rim of the plates to which the ends of the heating element and the feed wires are connected, and further the binding devices constructed to yieldingly clamp-the wire ends or terminals and the heating element ends or terminals together in electrical contact.

The invention consists in the novel features and in the combinations and constructions hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In describing this invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawing in which like charact-ers designate corresponding parts in all the views.

igure 1 is a plan view, partly broken away, of this water heater.

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view on line 2-2, Figure 1.

This electric water heater comprises, generally, opposing perforated insulating plates I, 2 formed with a tortuous passage 3 between them, an electric heating element 4 in the passage, wire binding devices extending through the rim of the plates and to which the ends of the heating element are connected, and suitable means located centrally of the plates for clamping the plates The plates are also formed with a wire passage opening through the edges thereof adjacent the wire binding devices through which passage the cable or the feed wires extend.

The wire binding devices include spring means which clamp to them the feed wire ends and the ends of the heating element and hold them in good electrical contact.

The plates I, 2 are preferably discoidal and formed throughout of insulating material, as porcelain, and the tortuous passage 3 consists of inner and outer concentric portions which are separated by an arcuate barrier 5, these inner and outer portions opening into each other at 6 to permit the heating element 4 to pass from V one portion to the other and to the binding devices. Owing to this arrangement of the passages and the heating element, a maximum length of the heating element can be located within a minimum area. The plates I, 2 are formed with numerous perforations I to permit free flow of water into and out of contact with the heating element. The plates I, 2 are also formed with a passage 8 between them for the cable 9 which encloses the feed wires, the wires having terminals at their ends secured to the 15 binding devices. The two plates are held together preferably by means located centrally oi. the plates, and here shown as a hollow rivet ll.

I2 designates the binding devices or posts, these extending through the rims of the plates adjacent the wire passage 8. Each of these binding devices or posts, as here shown, consists of screws I3, I4 extending transversely through the plates I, 2 repectively and threading into a sleeve I5 to which the wire terminals or ends I0 and the terminals or ends I6 of the heating element are secured. The heads of the screws are embedded in heads ll of insulation which are located in countersinks I8 in the rim of the plate. The binding devices include spring means for holding the lapping ends or contacts of the feed wires and the heating element in good electrical contact, when the plates are clamped together. The spring means is here shown as including light spring washers I9 on the sleeve I5 between the upper plate and the underlying end of the feed wire or of the heating element 4, and the other between the lower plate and the overlying end of the feed wire or the heating element end. Thus, a good electrical contact is maintained between the ends of the feed wires or their terminals and the ends or terminals of the heating element.

The plates I, 2 preferably are formed of porce lain and usually formed with bosses 20 on their outer faces, which may hold the plates off the bottom of the vessel, if the heater is lying flatwise on the fiat bottom.

In operation, after the heater has been submerged in the water in a vessel, the plug (not shown) at the outer end of the feed wire cable is 50 inserted in a suitable socket. The water passes through the numerous perforations 1 into intimate contact with the heating element, and the water quickly heated. Owing to the fiat waferlike or discoidal construction, a heating element of maximum length and surface can be located in a minimum space, and the parts held assembled by a single clamping member located centrally thereof. Owing to the spring means of the binding devices, a good electrical contact is always insured between the feed wires and the heating element.

What I claim is:

1. A water heater comprising opposing perforated, discoidal plates lying flatwise on each other, and formed with a tortuous passage between them including inner and outer concentric portions, a heating element in said passage, bind ing devices extending transversely through the rims of the plates, the plates being also formed with a feed wire passage between them, opening through the edge thereof adjacent said devices, the wires and opposite ends of the heating element being connected to the binding devices, said binding devices also serving to clamp the plates together at the rims thereof, and means 'located centrally of the discoidal plates for securing the plates together.

2. A water heater comprising opposing perforated discoidal plates lying fiatwise on each other, and formed with a tortuous passage between them, including inner and outer concentric portions, a heating element in said passage, binding devices extending transversely through the rims of the plates and serving to clamp the plates against each other at the rims thereof, the plates being also formed with a wire passage between thein opening through the edge thereof adjacent said devices, the wires and opposite ends of the heating element being connected to the binding devices, and means located centrally of the discoidal plates for holding them together.

3. A water heater comprising opposing perforated plates of insulating material formed with a tortuous passage between them, a heating element in said passage, binding devices to which opposite ends of the heating element are secured, said devices being located adjacent each other in the rims of the plates, the plates being formed With a passage for feed wires connected to said devices, and means located centrally of the plates for securing the plates together, said bin ing devices including portions extending through the plates respectively and coacting with each other to clamp the wire and heating element ends between them and inciuding spring means acting on the wire and heating element ends to hold the same in electrical contact.

EVERETT STUCK. 

